We report on the fabrication of graphene contact to GaN nanowire ensemble and on the demonstration of photodetectors using chemical vapor deposition-grown few-layered graphene as a transparent electrode. The optimization of the transfer method allowed to form a continuous contact to the nanowires over a large area. The adhesion energy of the graphene sheet to the nanowire ensemble is estimated to be 0.3–0.7 J/m². Ultraviolet photodetectors with a room-temperature responsivity of ∼25 A/W at 357 nm were fabricated. The photocurrent spectrum shows that the device has a strong response up to 4.15 eV confirming a good transparency of the top graphene contact.

We report the demonstration of a ZnO nanowire ultraviolet photodetector with a top transparent electrode made of a few-layered graphene sheet. The nanowires have been synthesized using a low-cost electrodeposition method. The detector is shown to be visible-blind and to present a responsivity larger than 10⁴ A/W in the near ultraviolet range thanks to a high photoconductive gain in ZnO nanowires. The device exhibits a peak responsivity at 370 nm wavelength and shows a sub bandgap response down to 415 nm explained by an Urbach tail with a characteristic energy of 83 meV. The temporal response of the detector and the power dependence are discussed. A model of the photoconductive mechanism is proposed showing that the main process responsible for the photoconductive gain is the modulation of the conducting surface due to the variation of the surface depletion layer and not the reduction of recombination efficiency stemming from the electron-hole spatial separation. The gain is predicted to decrease at high incident power due to the flattening of the lateral band bending in agreement with experimental data.

SEM image and electron beam induced current map of InGaN/GaN nanowire core–shell led in cross-sectional and top view configurations.

The fabrication technologies and the performance of flexible nanowire light emitting diodes (LEDs) are reviewed with a special focus on nitride materials.